Christ Our Passover Has Been Sacrificed

A Guide through Paschal Mystery Spirituality: Mystical Theology in The Roman Missal

Mark G. Boyer

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781532642210, 9781532642227
• eBook ISBN: 9781532642234
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Rituals & Practice

Christ Our Passover Has Been Sacrificed examines the paschal mystery as it is presented throughout the liturgical year in The Roman Missal. After offering an in-depth definition of the paschal mystery the author guides the reader through Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, and more, mining the riches of paschal mystery spirituality. Biblical accounts interpret the death and resurrection of Jesus; liturgical texts in The Roman Missal present a rich seam of spiritual truth for the reader to apply to his or her life. By remembering Jesus' death and resurrection, Roman Catholics celebrate daily dying and rising to new life. The author serves as a guide through paschal mystery spirituality, while also noting the mystical theology--reflections on experiences of God--represented by the prayers in The Roman Missal, particularly those dealing with Jesus' suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, and gift of the Spirit. Through reflections and meditation questions, readers are invited to name their own personally transforming mystical experiences, which connect them to God in deep levels and move them outward into the community to share spirituality.

1

The Paschal Mystery

Basically, the paschal mystery refers to the suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, and gift of the Spirit of Jesus. According to the “Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar” in The Roman Missal, “ . . . Christ accomplished his work of human redemption and of the perfect glorification of God principally through his paschal mystery, in which by dying he has destroyed our death, and by rising restored our life. . . . ”1 Thus, in its basic form, the paschal mystery “comprises the passion and resurrection of Christ.”2 However, besides the passion (suffering and death) and resurrection, the other aspects of ascension and gift of the Spirit are also found in the ninety-day Lent and Easter seasons of the liturgical year.

Indeed, paschal mystery is mentioned throughout The Roman Missal—usually with capital letters, that is, Paschal Mystery. Most of the references to paschal mystery occur in prayers said during the forty-day Season of Lent, the Sacred Paschal Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday), and the fifty-day Season of Easter. According to Regan, this serves “to impart unity and direction to the entire period from Ash Wednesday to Pentecost.”3 Phiri says that “[t]he celebration of the paschal mystery . . . is synonymous with the celebration of the gospel as God’s great promise in which we participate for our own transformation and that of others into a life of beatitude.”4

Collective Use

Thus, the paschal mystery is often used in a collective sense. The five major events of the saving actions of Jesus mentioned above are collected as one and named the paschal mystery. Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday, prepares people to celebrate the paschal mystery, according to the first prayer for the blessing of ashes.5 Likewise, the Preface for the First Sunday of Lent mentions worthily celebrating the paschal mystery;6 the Collect for Thursday of the Third Week of Lent asks God to help people to press towards the worthy celebration of the paschal mystery;7 and the Collect for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent requests that people worthily welcome the paschal mystery.8

In the opening remarks for Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, the priest or bishop explains that the local congregation is gathered with the whole church to begin the celebration of the Lord’s paschal mystery; he explains this by referring to his passion (suffering and death) and resurrection.9 Likewise, one of the Prayers for the beginning of the Friday of the Passion of the Lord [Good Friday] service states that by shedding his blood Jesus established the paschal mystery.10

The most extensive use of the paschal mystery is found during the Easter Vigil. Its first mention is in the prayer after the second reading.11 In the second optional prayer after the seventh reading, God is reminded that he instructs and prepares people to celebrate the paschal mystery.12 And in the address to the congregants before they renew their baptismal promises, the priest or bishop reminds everyone that it is through the paschal mystery that they have been buried with Christ in baptism so that they may walk with him in newness of life.13

God gave the paschal mystery, according to the Collect for Friday within the Octave of Easter.14 According to the Collect for Saturday of the Second Week of Easter, God has cancelled the sentence written by the law of sin through the paschal mystery.15 God is constantly accomplishing the paschal mystery according to the Collect for the Fifth Sunday of Easter.16 The Collect for Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter asks God to shape minds with the practice of good works and help people strive to hold fast to the paschal mystery.17 Pentecost Sunday makes it very clear that the paschal mystery consists of the fifty days of the Easter Season. The Collect for the Vigil Mass refers to this as does the Preface.18

Other references to the paschal mystery occur in Preface I of the Sundays in Ordinary Time,19 Preface VI of the Sundays in Ordinary Time,20 and in the Collect of the Votive Mass of The Most Holy Eucharist.21

Indirectly, the paschal mystery is referred to as the drawing-ever-closer feast of salvation,22 the solemn celebrations to come,23 the coming festivities,24 the present festivities,25 and the celebration of Easter.26 Those who have been redeemed by Jesus’ passion (suffering and death) rejoice in his resurrection.27

Plural Use

Sometimes the plural form, paschal mysteries, is used to indicate the five major events of the sa...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: The Paschal Mystery
• Chapter 2: Lent and Easter Seasons
• Chapter 3: Palm Sunday
• Chapter 4: Palm Sunday: Suffering is Betrayal for the Matthean Jesus
• Chapter 5: Palm Sunday: Suffering is Abandonment for the Markan Jesus
• Chapter 6: Palm Sunday: Suffering is Martyrdom for the Lukan Jesus
• Chapter 7: Thursday of the Lord’s Supper
• Chapter 8: Friday of the Passion of the Lord: Part 1
• Chapter 9: Friday of the Passion of the Lord: Part 2
• Chapter 10: Friday of the Passion of the Lord: Part 3
• Chapter 11: The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night
• Chapter 12: Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
• Chapter 13: The Ascension of the Lord
• Chapter 14: Pentecost Sunday
• Chapter 15: Anointing the Sick
• Chapter 16: Death, Funeral, and Christian Burial
• Chapter 17: Special Celebrations
• Conclusion
• Recent Books by Mark G. Boyer
• Bibliography